Draft gear



2 Snets-Sheei 1 Oct. 19 1926.

H; C. PRIEBE DRAFT GEAR Filed May 14,l 1925 Oct. 19 1926. 1,603,354

H. C. PRIEBE DRAFT GEAR Filed May 14. 1925 2 'Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented @et 19, 1925 HERMAN C. REBE, OF BLUE ISLAND, ILLNOIS.'

DRAFT GEAR.

Application filed May 14, 1925. Serial No. 32,305.

My invention relates to draft gears and resides in an improv d construction whereby the gears may generate motion retarding friction as they respond to draft strains.

rlhe draft gear of the preferred form of my invention inclusive of inner and outer followers suitably assembled with a coupler and disposed therewith between longitudinal center' or draft-sills, these sills having forn'iations limiting the outward movement of the outer follower and the inward movement of the inner follower. Coiled springs are disposed in the line of draft and are interposed between the followers and are provided with two bars7 each entering the bores of both springs and each less in length than the maximum distance attainable between said followers. Fach bar is formed with a shoulder, the shoulders being arranged between opposing ends of the springs, one of these spring ends engaging` one shoulder and the other spring end engaging the other shoulder'. These shoulders are -preferably so related t-o the springs and to the bars and are of such formation that the springs cooperate therewith to force the bars into sliding frictional contact when the draft gear responds to draft strains.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection'with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of draft gear constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig..2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 2-2 of Fi g. 1; Fig'. 3 is a view showing a part of the structure as it appears in Fig. 1 with elements of the gear in changed positions; Fi 4 is a sectional view on line 4-11 of Fig. 3,; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the two friction producing bars in separated relaJ tion.

The draft gear illustrated includes the draft or center sills 1 which carry keys 2 and 3 that move horizontally and longitudinally of the sills within slots 4 and 5 formed in the sills. The key 2 serves to assemble the coupler stem G with the outer' ends of the coupler yoke 7, provision for lost motion between the stem and yoke being preferably afforded by elongating the slots 8 in the sides of the coupler yoke and through which the key 2 passes. rlhe coupler stem is supported by the key 2 and also by the bridge piece 2 between the center or draft sills 1. The key 2, thus preferably in lost motion engagement with the 4the key 3.

coupler yoke, also serves to support the outer ends of the coupler yoke upon the center sills. The key 3 serves as a further support for the coupler yoke in the region of its outer end, this key passing through slots 9 in the sides of the coupler yoke for this purpose. These slots are longer than the width of the key 3 so that this key may have lost motion engagement with the coupler yoke similarly to key 2. The coupler yoke is further supported by brackets 10 that are carried by the center sills and engage the sides of the coupler yoke near the inner end of the yoke. rFhe inward movement of the yoke is limited by a stop 11 which extends between and is riveted to both center sills. The outward movement of the yoke is limited by the outer ends of the slots 5 that are engaged by the outer transverse edge of the key 3 when the inner ends of the slots 9 in the yoke sides engage this key and move it outwardly to its yoke holding position. An outer follower 12 is engaged by the inner or butt end of the coupler stem and the inner follower 13 is surrounded by the coupler yoke. rlhe outer follower is carried by the key 3 and floats therewith. The inner follower is supported by the bridge piece or strap 14- underlying the same and secured to the bottom sides of the center sills. The follower 12 is limited in its outward movement by the draft sill formatioin-the outer ends of the slots 5 that limit the outward movement of The inward movement of the follower 13 is limited by the stop formation 11 carried by the center sills and performing` this function through the intermediation of the inner end of the yoke which is interposed between the follower 13 and the stop 11.

There are two aligned coiled springs 15 and 16 arranged in the line of draft and which are spaced apart at their opposing ends, the follower 12 having the spring 15 individual thereto and the follower 18 having the spring 16 individual thereto. There are two bars 17 and 18 placed side by side and together desirably having the general shape of a cylinder, each constituting a half of such cylinder, the adjacent Hat longitudinal faces of these bars being in sliding engagement. The bars are held in alignment and in cooperative relation by the coiled springs which surround them and by the cylindrical pins 19 and 2O that enter correspondingly shaped recesses 21 and 22 in the two bars that match to form longitudihousing nal recesses. Each bar is of a length which is less than the maximum attainable distance between the followers to permit each follower to move toward the other throughout the working range of these followers, there being desirably supplied a cylindrical 9.3 which surrounds the springs and which desirably limits the extent to which the followers may be moved together. This housing is supported by the bridge piece 14 and also by the bridge piece 141-..

The springs function to yieldingly oppose the movement of either follower toward the other and to separate the followers when the draft strain is sufficiently reduced through the intermediation of shoulders 24; and 25 respectively provided upon the bars 17 and 18. These shoulders engage the inner sides of the springs at the adjacent ends of the springs, one of these spring ends engaging one shoulder and the other spring end engaging the other shoulder. 1When either follower is moved toward the other the adjacent ends of both springs ride upon the shoulders which are desirably cam-like in formation so that the springs when responding to draft strains will force the bars toward one another to create motion retarding friction between the adjacent flat faces of the two bars that are in sliding frictional engagement. These shoulders have overlapping continuations 26 and 27, these continuations being conically tapered to strengthen the bars at their intermediate portions.

The draft gear of my invention is very simple in construction and effective in operation and has a very small number of parts which are readily assembled and effectively cooperate.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A draft gear including two coiled springs in the line of draft and two bars, each entering the bores of both springs, said bars having shoulders thereon which are between the opposed ends of the springs, one of these shoulders upon one bar engaging one of such spring ends and the other shoulder upon the other bar engaging the other of such spring ends, one of said shoulders being of cam formation and upon which the engaging spring end rides to force the bar having this shoulder against the other bar to produce motion retarding friction.

2. A draft gear including two coiled springs in the line of draft and two bars, each entering the bore of one spring and one also entering the bore of the other spring, said bars having shoulders thereon which are between the opposed ends of the springs, one of these shoulders upon one bar engaging one of such spring ends and the other shoulder upon the other bar engaging the other of such spring ends, one of said shoulders being of cam formation and upon which the engaging spring end rides to force the bar having this shoulder against the other bar to produce motion retarding friction.

3. A draft gear including two coiled springs in the line of draft and two bars, each entering the bores of both springs, said hars having cam shaped shoulders thereon which are between the opposed ends of the springs, one of these shoulders upon one bar engaging one of such spring ends and the other shoulder upon the other bar engaging the other of such spring ends, the springs riding upon said cam shaped shoulders to force the bars toward each other to produce motion retarding friction.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

HERMAN C. PRIEBE. 

